County Mayo

On the last Sunday in July, thousands of pilgrims climb Croagh Patrick, some of them barefoot, to attend Mass at the summit. A trip to County Mayo combines traditions like this with empty bogland, Achill Island, and the small town of Westport on Clew Bay. Mayo is big, sparsely populated, and full of wide-open space.

Landscape and Towns

With its reputed 365 small islands, Clew Bay is the heart of the county. To the north, vast blanket bogs stretch all the way to the Erris coast, while to the south Mayo borders Connemara and Lough Mask. Westport is a planned town from the 18th century, with a tree-lined Mall along the river and lively pubs. Castlebar, the county seat, is home to a branch of the National Museum of Country Life at Turlough. Ballina, on the River Moy, is a stronghold of salmon anglers.

Sights in County Mayo

The Great Western Greenway, a cycling trail on a former railway line, runs about 42 kilometers from Westport via Newport to Achill. Achill Island, reachable by bridge, has the beach at Keem Bay, the abandoned village of Slievemore, and steep cliffs. Near Ballycastle, the Céide Fields reveal Neolithic field systems preserved beneath the bog. Knock is an important Marian pilgrimage site, and Westport House is a stately home with ties to the pirate queen Grace O'Malley.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Ireland West Airport near Knock has flights from Britain and a few European cities, and trains connect Westport, Castlebar, and Ballina with Dublin. For Achill and Erris you'll need a car or a bicycle. The best time to visit is between May and September. Mayo lamb, seafood from Clew Bay, and Moy salmon are the culinary classics. Mayo also has a quiet, dark side: Wild Nephin National Park in the west is a designated Dark Sky Park, where you can see the Milky Way in all its glory at night. The islands of Inishturk and Clare Island have only a few residents and can be reached by ferry from Roonagh Pier. In Foxford, a historic woolen mill shows how blankets and tweed are made, and in Cong, on the border with Galway, the film classic "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne was shot.